"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - Hartford Crit this sunday

Who's going?

I'm in for the 4's.

My first race in almost 2 months. Should be awesome. It's the firsts 4's only race I've done, and I'm hoping to do well. I didn't ride much at all last week, and my sprint has lost its edge so I'm not full of illusions of grandeur, but I think it'll be fun and I might even be able to be a bit of a player.

Who else will I see there?

ill be there ... only doing the M30+ race ... the 1/2/3 race is too much intensity for the easy week i have this week.

hartford is a good crit to get away on ... just a bit technical ... so keep that in mind.

I'm doing the Cyclonauts crit on Saturday because the hartford crit is only 10 miles for the 5's, screw that! I'm not driving down there and paying money to race 25 minutes.

Doing the 3s. Not sure what to expect, other than a hard race.

cdr

Doing the 3s. Not sure what to expect, other than a hard race.

cdr

"Helmet cam?", he asks wishfully.

I'm doing the Cyclonauts crit on Saturday because the hartford crit is only 10 miles for the 5's, screw that! I'm not driving down there and paying money to race 25 minutes.

I really want to do the race on saturday as well, but I'm working reunion and commencement weekend at school.

I also don't think I could go that hard 2 days in a row.

I figure I'll just ride the training crit in East hartford on tuesday night after racing in hartford on sunday.

I would have loved to race saturday, sunday, and tuesday, but I don't have the legs right now. If I had ridden a bunch last week, then possibly, but not in the condition I am right now.

I really want to race on that race track!

ill be there ... only doing the M30+ race ... the 1/2/3 race is too much intensity for the easy week i have this week.

hartford is a good crit to get away on ... just a bit technical ... so keep that in mind.

Thanks for the info.

I'll try to stay near the front. I'm hoping I have the fitness for that. Just gotta find that draftttt...

I'll make sure to try getting a couple of laps on the course to warm up and check it out. I've never ridden there before.

Any advice on the corners and such?

+1 on the training crit, I'll be there too.

The track looks fun, too bad I never was into auto racing.

+1 on the training crit, I'll be there too.

The track looks fun, too bad I never was into auto racing.

Wait, you're going to be doing the hartford training crits?

I'm on the team that helps run them.

Cool, see you there!

Are you going to be doing them often? They run through the summer. CDR's around as well.

Last week, this guy lapped the A field twice. It was freaking ridiculous...

Yup, google says it's 54 minutes away so I'm definitely doing a bunch of them, especially with the lack of races in summer around here.

I also want to buy CDRs track bike and hitch a ride with him to NE velodrome most wednesdays ^^

"Helmet cam?", he asks wishfully.

Actually, I have the camcorder part of it charging right behind me at this moment. I'm thinking that I'll run it if I remember etc etc etc. Plus my last one of Hartford was kinda shaky with a bad connection.


I also want to buy CDRs track bike and hitch a ride with him to NE velodrome most wednesdays ^^

lol. I'll have to fix up the red car so I can fit two bikes in the car (waiting for wheels and then have to do some work on the car to make it semi-presentable - it runs, it's just embarrassing to be in it). Though I did fit two frames, two wheels, my gear bag, and various misc bags in the blue car, it'd be hard with two riders and two riders' worth of gear on top of 4 wheels and two frames.

Next week I want to bring some nicer wheels. I'm online trying to figure out which spokes I can use to build a front wheel.

I should ask the local shop about a special purchase track bike price whatever. I shouldn't say this but the track rents bike for $5 or something per day, so you could easily do that. $20 ($15 entry, $5 bike) gets you in. And my first day ever on a fixed gear was my first day racing at T-Town.

cdr

You should do a velodrome-cam! I don't think I've ever seen a video of that!

If I do end up buying it off you I can bring my bike rack, I think it fits most cars. Gear for me fits into a backpack so as long as the front seat is open I'm good.

Renting would be a good idea just to try track racing. I've ridden fixed once or twice before, the stopping part was the hardest for me, but no need for that in racing anyway right?

Stopping isn't a big deal except when you're stopping to get off the bike. Since I was clueless about fixed gear stuff when I started, I almost faceplanted into the portapotties the first night I went to NEV.

The more challenging part for me is not coasting. Every week I inadvertently almost go over the bars because I try and coast somewhere.

My car doesn't take a rack, and it doesn't have much room inside, hence the lack of space. We'll make it work though. They will even store your bike for you for $10/month.

cdr

Forgot to pre-register :bang:

I'll do the 40+, and 30+ if I have time

ill be there ... only doing the M30+ race ... the 1/2/3 race is too much intensity for the easy week i have this week.

hartford is a good crit to get away on ... just a bit technical ... so keep that in mind.

How so ?? It's got your basic corners, that's about it.

Come say hi if you see me!

I'll be in the CVC jersey and Wesleyan University bibs. I might even look hilariously ridiculous because I have to borrow a jersey, and someone offered me a womens small. Lol...

And I'm glad you'll be able to make it down Hocam, that's awesome. Once you get your 4 upgrade, you can double up and hit both the A's and the B's on tuesday nights.

How so ?? It's got your basic corners, that's about it.

mmm, relative to new britian's crit ? yeah, right it's not like the old burlington crit in vt for KSR but it does have some corners that can .... 'can' become a factor at pace. when the rubberband snaps there are some that get away and there are some that pop. :thumb:

mmm, relative to new britian's crit ? yeah, right it's not like the old burlington crit in vt for KSR but it does have some corners that can .... 'can' become a factor at pace. when the rubberband snaps there are some that get away and there are some that pop. :thu mb:

the crit at Killington was in Rutland, not Burlington. I think you mean the GMSR, yes?

I'm doing the 3s, and my wife is doing the women's open. Could be fun. Could find myself on a short, expensive training ride after getting spit out the back.

I'm doing the 3s, and my wife is doing the women's open. Could be fun. Could find myself on a short, wet, expensive training ride after getting spit out the back.

Corrected. Weather isn't looking too promising. I hate racing in the rain.

cdr

Corrected. Weather isn't looking too promising. I hate racing in the rain.

cdr

Never done it before, but I've loved riding in the rain so far.

If it does rain, I think it'll be perfectly suited for a break.

Corrected. Weather isn't looking too promising. I hate racing in the rain.

cdr

I do, too. But my best race this year was that rainy, cold Bethel race where I got in that break with Rick from TT.

On the bright side, it does say 40% chance of rain. Right now it's raining and thunder is rumbling. Great--so much for the bright side.

Sunny and hot. Crossing my fingers. Leaving shortly.

cdr

Never done it before, but I've loved riding in the rain so far.

If it does rain, I think it'll be perfectly suited for a break.

racing in the rain is fine. racing a crit in the rain is crap.

That was a terrible race.

Looks like my race legs aren't with me any longer.

I had a hard time finding the draft in the initial single file spread of the course. Then just as I was starting to get the hang of it again, people started crashing around me. It started pouring right before the start of my race.

After seeing 2 crashes right next to me, I pretty much mentally checked out. My brain decided that it was done, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't make myself go harder.

There's always another race.

I didn't see you there. Did you change kits? It was an ugly race. The road wasn't that bad if you avoided the paint on the crosswalks but it seemed like a bunch of guys didn't understand that.

That was a terrible race.

Looks like my race legs aren't with me any longer.

I had a hard time finding the draft in the initial single file spread of the course. Then just as I was starting to get the hang of it again, people started crashing around me. It started pouring right before the start of my race.

After seeing 2 crashes right next to me, I pretty much mentally checked out. My brain decided that it was done, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't make myself go harder.

There's always another race.

Sorry to hear that. I've found the best way to prepare for the rain is to pretend you like it.
It's worked for me. When I started racing go-karts when I was 11, I hated rain and spun out of my first rain race.
After that, I changed my thinking and I've won every single rain race ever since. Both in karts and in bikes, I've got a perfect record in the rain.:thumb:

well that was nuts... the m30+ race was neutralized due to a crash that took out about 5-6 riders in T2 (the turn with the holes mid-apex and the median on the LHS of the road). The official stopped the race for about 10mins and then restarted it with 2 laps to go. needless to say it kinda kills the mojo but hey that is racing. my friend was collected in the mayhem and was lucky to get out with only a few scrapes... some of the others didn't fare so well. hope you guys are doing ok... i watched the crash go down and it was due to a pothole that was in the apex... the rear wheel hopped then walked left then walked right and by this time he was pointed at the median and started collecting riders. again, all due to those potholes... hey, he held his line but this is what came from it. tough stuff.

One of my teammates (CVC) went down earlier in the day. He broke his femur. Might be the crash hackman is referring to.

CK, I don't mind the rain, and honestly I had no issues turning other than my rear wheels slipping, possibly on the same turn as the crash hackman's referring to. I just couldn't get the draft, and once I started getting comfortable, people around me started going down. I honestly just couldn't trust anyone else around me enough to sit on their wheel after 4-5 people went down around me.

This past week has been a little rough on my body, but it's about time for me to give my body rest in addition to training as much as I have been lately.

My last crit was in april, and I averaged 160 watts for the entire hour. Today, I averaged 220 watts before I was pulled off the course. I'd been feeling really tired the last few days and I just didn't have it in me to do this.

Lots of sleep tonight, and a crit clinic tomorrow with a 30-35 mile either side of it. Then tuesday, 17 mile ride to tuesday nighter, B race, and ride back. Probably off on weds. I know I'll need it. Egad. Hopefully this is the 'getting slower before getting faster' phase. I need to see some form again. I haven't been dropped from a race all year. It sucked.

The 3 race was the place to be, apparently. There was a little jostling and bumping, but everyone kept his head, so no pavement kissing. I hope Max is ok--a broken femur sounds horrible.

The M40+ race went smoothly too.... couldn't crack the top 10 though :(
The M30+ crash happened right behind my (whew) ...... the whole re-start thing was pretty lame though.

The 3 race was the place to be, apparently. There was a little jostling and bumping, but everyone kept his head, so no pavement kissing. I hope Max is ok--a broken femur sounds horrible.

I sent him my well wishes earlier.
Do you know what happened? Is that the crash that happened on the corner that hackman was talking about.

Honestly, I'm glad I did that race even though it was terrible. I think I'm going to do the training crits for a couple of weeks and then try my hand at another race.

I think I just need a little more recovery. My legs have been hurting every step I climb.

One of my teammates (CVC) went down earlier in the day. He broke his femur. Might be the crash hackman is referring to.

CK, I don't mind the rain, and honestly I had no issues turning other than my rear wheels slipping, possibly on the same turn as the crash hackman's referring to. I just couldn't get the draft, and once I started getting comfortable, people around me started going down. I honestly just couldn't trust anyone else around me enough to sit on their wheel after 4-5 people went down around me.

This past week has been a little rough on my body, but it's about time for me to give my body rest in addition to training as much as I have been lately.

My last crit was in april, and I averaged 160 watts for the entire hour. Today, I averaged 220 watts before I was pulled off the course. I'd been feeling really tired the last few days and I just didn't have it in me to do this.

Lots of sleep tonight, and a crit clinic tomorrow with a 30-35 mile either side of it. Then tuesday, 17 mile ride to tuesday nighter, B race, and ride back. Probably off on weds. I know I'll need it. Egad. Hopefully this is the 'getting slower before getting faster' phase. I need to see some form again. I haven't been dropped from a race all year. It sucked.

Just checked my power file from that race. I averaged 215 W for the race.

I'm not sure what's going on. If I had been seeing anything even remotely close to my April form, I should have dominated this race. That's not what happened though. Hopefully this next week on will be better...

CK, I don't mind racing or riding in the rain. I just felt like I couldn't trust anyone else after all the bonehead moves. I guess my race ended right then and there.

CK, I don't mind racing or riding in the rain. I just felt like I couldn't trust anyone else after all the bonehead moves. I guess my race ended right then and there.

That's why the rain is the best! You can diesel your way off the front. If you're confident in yourself and your tires, then you'll be able to shake off any equally crazy chasers and solo to the finish.

I believe Max broke his femur, 2 hour surgery at the hospital nearby. Not sure of anything else.

3s were reasonably good. I actually had words with one guy (well, I said them to him). I rarely point out someone's poor riding skills in a race, but this guy caused a lot of guys to react to his sudden swerves, so I finally rode up next to him and told him to stop trying to avoid the holes. He still did, swerving literally 3-4-5 feet before each pothole, and getting a good 10-15 inches off line each time. I was actually impressed with his countersteering skills :)

The P123 race was interesting to watch - 4 Kelly Benefits guys, Jeremy Powers at home (Jelly Belly guy that lives in CT). For Hartford that's pretty good talent. Richard Fries announced so that made things more interesting.

I finally wore the helmet cam in a manner conducive towards racing, but I sat up just after the bell, so no real jostling shots. After someone sort of pleaded with me to keep going, I did, but really just enough to film the beginning of the sprint. I lent my transfer cable to my club's race folks so I can't move the data over to a computer just yet.

I was totally cooked. I have no power data or anything, but I felt slow slow slow. Never got into the race.

cdr

CDR, was in the 3 with you. Spent a large part of the race attacking/off the front (I worked for Fries so he talks me up rather kindly) though in hindsight I should've waited till later if I was really trying to win the damn thing. Was rather confused why people were touching brakes anywhere on the course but c'est la vie.

Very much ready to go after the CT Stage Race.

As for the pro race, what was really good was being right beside the Kelly team in the parking lot after the race...not so happy (specially given the Keough/Mannion rivalry).

I believe Max broke his femur, 2 hour surgery at the hospital nearby. Not sure of anything else.

3s were reasonably good. I actually had words with one guy (well, I said them to him). I rarely point out someone's poor riding skills in a race, but this guy caused a lot of guys to react to his sudden swerves, so I finally rode up next to him and told him to stop trying to avoid the holes. He still did, swerving literally 3-4-5 feet before each pothole, and getting a good 10-15 inches off line each time. I was actually impressed with his countersteering skills :)

The P123 race was interesting to watch - 4 Kelly Benefits guys, Jeremy Powers at home (Jelly Belly guy that lives in CT). For Hartford that's pretty good talent. Richard Fries announced so that made things more interesting.

I finally wore the helmet cam in a manner conducive towards racing, but I sat up just after the bell, so no real jostling shots. After someone sort of pleaded with me to keep going, I did, but really just enough to film the beginning of the sprint. I lent my transfer cable to my club's race folks so I can't move the data over to a computer just yet.

I was totally cooked. I have no power data or anything, but I felt slow slow slow. Never got into the race.

cdr

I'll post updates on Max as I get more info from the team. He did break his femur, and did have a 1-2 hr surgery. That's all I know at this point.

But yeah CDR, I felt terrible as well. My legs still feel like mush. Not sure what's going on.

I'm sure as my nutrition and sleep schedule get better over this week, that I'll start to see some form again. I felt great 2 mondays ago, but it went downhill from there...

anyone have pictures from the day?

I should race 3s ..... the 40+ was faster ..... What's with those kids ?!

Some pics, not in order:
http://www.mjstuart.com/hartford09/index.html

cdr